# House of Cards (2013)

> A ruthless congressman betrayed by the White House schemes his way up the ladder of national power using blackmail, seduction and ambition.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/1341

## Facts

- Seasons: 6
- Episodes: 73
- Episode runtime: 52 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Beau Willimon
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly, Sebastian Arcelus, Nathan Darrow, Kate Mara, Constance Zimmer
- TMDB rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: cynical, sardonic, tense, dark, cold

## What critics say

Acclaimed for Kevin Spacey's magnetic lead performance and its sharp portrait of political ambition, though later seasons drew criticism for stretched storytelling and a weaker finale.

## Synopsis

House of Cards (2013-2018) is a US political drama series created by Beau Willimon for Netflix. Kevin Spacey plays Congressman Frank Underwood, a Democratic politician who is betrayed by the White House and sets out on a ruthless climb toward the presidency, using blackmail, seduction and calculated manipulation as his tools. Robin Wright plays Claire Underwood, his ambitious wife and strategic partner, while Michael Kelly plays Doug Stamper, his loyal and unsettling chief of staff. Journalist Zoe Barnes, played by Kate Mara, becomes a key pawn in his schemes. The engine of the show is the steady escalation of each scheme, with every episode built around a new move in a long game of leverage and reprisal. Across six seasons of thirteen episodes each, with a shorter final run, the story stays one continuous serialized arc rather than a case of the week. Set in contemporary Washington, D.C., the series is a Netflix original that foregrounds cynicism, corruption and power politics. Its tone is cold, sardonic and tense, and Spacey's direct address to the camera gives viewers an intimate window into his scheming mind. Fans of Veep, The West Wing and Succession will find resonance in its sharp political satire and morally compromised characters.

## Shows like House of Cards

- [Chief of Staff (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/76037)
- [The Good Wife (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/1351)
- [White House Plumbers (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/81227)
- [To Play the King (1993)](https://ember.film/tv/12924)
- [Scandal (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/36086)
- [Baron Noir (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/57803)
- [The Diplomat (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/126780)
- [Borgen (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/38784)
- [Madam Secretary (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54725)
- [Designated Survivor (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/59011)

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